Capcom takes what used to be a single mode in larger Resident Evil releases …

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There will be a Resident Evil title for Nintendo's 3DS that has a full story and everything you've come to expect out of the franchise, but that's coming later, with Resident Evil: Revelations. At the Game Developers Conference we were able to go hands-on with Capcom's 3D take on the Mercenaries game mode from previous console Resident Evil games, and we liked what we saw.

You still kill enemies in closed levels, racking up combos to go for the high score—in fact we were told that anyone who earned an "A" rating would earn themselves a 3DS. Many tried, but no one succeeded.

The game looks wonderful on the handheld, and proves just how powerful the 3DS will be while delivering 3D graphics, both in terms of the engine and the 3DS' effect itself. It felt like playing Resident Evil on the GameCube, and the ability to switch weapons or use healing items by tapping on the inventory that fit on the bottom screen was a nice, intuitive touch. You'll also be able to move while aiming by holding both trigger buttons; this adds an interesting level to the gameplay.

We were only able to play two levels: Village from Resident Evil 4 and Public Assembly from Resident Evil 5, and four characters: Chris, Hunk, Jack Krauser, and Jill. It was a great time running around and shooting the various zombies while searching for ammo, and the 3D effect when aiming down your gun was effective and immersive, but it remains to be seen if Capcom can justify a purchase with what used to be a side-dish as the main course. If anything, this got me excited about a brand-new, proper Resident Evil on the 3DS, and showed what is possible on Nintendo's new system.

Online co-op, over both WiFi and ad hoc mode will be supported, giving the game some more legs, but for now, we're more excited about this as a tech demo than a game. Still, as a sort of "greatest hits" package of characters and locations, this could be just the thing for hardcore Resident Evil fans looking for a mobile fix.